Playing the right tunes at the right time and having great interaction with the crowd.

Most underrated DJ:

Pedro Del Mar.

Biggest challenge this year:

How to manage a 13-hour stopover in Beijing on my way back from Mongolia!

Top tech toy:

My two octaves wireless keyboard.

Within months of making his debut in the 2008 poll, Shah decided the 'DJ' prefix had lost its reason to exist and he became 'Roger Shah'. Citing "my move from spinning discs to more live performance based gigs, playing mainly my own material" as the rationale, the 'DJ' was duly dispatched. With three albums released last year, Roger admits to being "a workaholic". With just one album out this year - his 'Magic Island Vol.2' compilation - has the king of Balearic trance been cutting himself some slack? "Not in the slightest!" says Roger. "I've just been a bit more focused on the gig side of things this year, but I've had seven singles out so far and we're not finished yet!" Those live performances have provided Roger with another rush of new experiences. "I've played in Australia, Canada, Slovakia, Slovenia, Czech Republic and Greece for the first time. Mongolia too - that was something special! I arrived at the airport to a live national TV reception, along with big limousines and motorcycle outriders straight to a big press conference; I felt more like a president than a musician!" Looking forward to next year, Roger says: "I've been working on some long-term projects, which will be finished in 2010. So my fans can expect me back up to three albums, I think!"